# Accident 20200516011229A: Vaughn James Keith CHALLENGER SPECIAL, Clarksville, TN, May 16, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 16, 2020, 09:10 local time
- Place: Clarksville, TN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.4944° N, 87.3219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4944&lon=-87.3219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N97KV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N97KV-2021-09-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Vaughn James Keith CHALLENGER SPECIAL (registry code 056040F, https://openairdocs.org/model/vaughn-james-keith-challenger-special) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VAUGHN JAMES KEITH CHALLENGER SPECIAL
- Reported engine: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,017 total, 2 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA188) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200516011229A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

8:30 AM IN THE MORNING, DEPARTED TN23 TITAN FIELD. THEY FLEW THE CHALLENGER AIRPLANE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES THEN DECIDED TO COME IN FOR A LANDING. THEY FLEW THEIR APPROACH DOWN THE RIVER ON A TIGHT BASE FOR RUNWAY 13 AND PLANNED TO DO A LOW APPROACH DOWN THE RUNWAY TO WARN PEOPLE THAT WERE FISHING IN THE PONDS NEXT TO THE RUNWAY THAT I WAS COMING IN FOR LANDING.

COMPLETING THE LOW APPROACH OVER THE RUNWAY, FULL POWER WAS APPLIED AND BEGAN TO CLIMB OUT ON THE UPWIND. ABOUT 2-3 SECOND IN THE CLIMB OUT, HE NOTICE THE LACK OF CLIMB PERFORMANCE WITH FULL POWER APPLIED. HE BEGAN TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID TREES AND POWER LINES BUT SOON REALIZE THAT HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS AND I WAS GOING TO BE FORCE TO DO AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WITH THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HIM, THE SAFEST OPTION WAS TO LAND IN THE TREES. ONCE HE ENTERED THE TOP OF THE TREES, THE PLANE ROTATED ON ITS VERTICAL AXIS 180 DEGREES AND BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND. SECURED THE AIRCRAFT AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ASSISTING HIS PASSENGER AND MOVE TO SAFETY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA20LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA188), May 16, 2020: Vaughn Challenger (N97KV), Clarksville, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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